sniper or kamui

Here is my experience:

Sniper ($20):
- Sniper felt a little harder than my trusty old Le Pro. I switched away from Le Pro as quality was spotty.
- Sniper did not mushroom over a year of use.
- My Sniper glazed over a bit and did not hold chalk as well as other tips I’ve used. Began miscuing after a few months. Regular scuffing would work for a week or so.
- Tip position for tip position, the Sniper produced the same amount of spin I got with a trusty old Le Pro. I’ve tried Moori tips as well and they produced superior spin to both the Le Pro & Sniper. I disliked the Moori as it glazed over & delaminated and would not hold chalk.
- The installer had difficulty installing the Sniper. It took him two tries and even it had a slight *tink* to it. I will never know if my lack of enthusiasm for my Sniper is the result of the install.

Kamui ($24):
- Kamui feels softer than the Sniper. This is not a significant concern though as you can buy Kamui’s in the hardness you prefer.
- My Kamui has a small mushroom over one month of use.
- Kamui holds chalk very well and can produce incredible amounts of spin with little risk of miscue.
- Tip position for tip position, the Kamui produces more spin than the Sniper…about the same as the Moori.
- My Kamui has no unusual “sound”.
- Kamui is my preferred tip now.
 
TNcountryboy said:
What do you mean by blow out?

Sorry, I think the technical term is "delaminate". I'm sure Corey can provide a much better explanation that I could, however, as he is the resident expert on layered tips.
 
Aaron_S said:
Sorry, I think the technical term is "delaminate". I'm sure Corey can provide a much better explanation that I could, however, as he is the resident expert on layered tips.

Blown-out just means the layers have been seperated or comprimised at the glue line. This renders the tip useless. Like a Slinky.
 
Aaron_S said:
It really is an unfortunate situation. First, I totally agree with you that the consumer shouldn't have to eat the cost. At the same time, however, the billiard industry isn't exactly booming in my area (2 pool halls closed and the sole billiard supply store downsized within the last 6 months or so), and I don't really want to see the billiard supply store, which houses the only pro shop in the area, have to eat the cost of a tip either.

It puts people like me between a rock and a hard place. I want to support my local business, but I'm compelled to only purchase products from them that I know I won't have any problems with, and Sniper tips, unfortunately, have not been one of those products.

Honestly, it makes me feel just as bad for you guys as it does the billiard supply store, because almost everyone I've spoken to in my area who has tried a Sniper says they disliked it, but I'd lay a modest wager that not a single one of them has ever had a Sniper that was properly installed. There's only the one Sniper installer in my area, and he didn't even know to wet the tip before cutting it until just a few months ago when I told him about it. No telling how many Snipers he had installed prior to that point, and how many customers thought "man, these things just aren't worth the money". When I took my tip back in, he said he thought it was ok because it hit the same as the Sniper on his cue. I didn't have the heart to tell him that it was because he was also playing with a blown out Sniper.

I can't help but think that these bad installations are costing Tiger significantly. I mean, my local market is by no means a large one, but the reputation of Sniper tips may have already suffered irreparable damage here because of this one installer. I tell the people I talk to to give the Sniper another shot, and have one installed at one of these big tournaments or trade shows, but who knows if they really will.

It's a shame, because Snipers are well worth the money if you get a good one. If I knew I could get a good install every time (without having to ship my cue off somewhere) I wouldn't use anything else.

Aaron

You make a great point. Sadly, it is really is a testiment to the current state of the industry as a whole. Thanks for doing your best to help keep it all going.

We do our best; however no one has the resources out there to inform the masses. Just the intimate few.

Globally 100 Million are registered in leagues and other local organizations, how many really know very much about it? :cool:
 
they have no equal

What happened to seeing is believing www.kamuibrand.com go to movie clip there is no equal- but really all you guys should play with something else. Not- what about no proporsity. I have one of every kind since 05. they will be on your cue for years. Koinnkid -troy sells 5-60bucks. you'll win the money from the first guy you gamble with. mark
 
I've posted the Kamui Tips vids in the past and received some oddly negative opinions. Guys were claiming the table and/or CB was doctored...blah blah blah. No matter what they say...that kid was torquing the CB like a superstar.

One guy even said the kid shot position wrong because it would have been better to just go one rail...LOL
 
mosconiac said:
I've posted the Kamui Tips vids in the past and received some oddly negative opinions. Guys were claiming the table and/or CB was doctored...blah blah blah. No matter what they say...that kid was torquing the CB like a superstar.

One guy even said the kid shot position wrong because it would have been better to just go one rail...LOL
The only non-positive (it's not negative) thing I could say toward Kamui about those videos is...With that kid's stroke, he can move a bowling ball with any tip.

Several people in town have started using Kamui tips, and all have positive things to say about them. I use a sniper now and like it, but next time I need a tip change, I'm gonna try the Kamui and see how I like it.

Mike
 
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Kamui tips

I personally like Kamui tips, they are easy to install. They cut really nice and they hold chalk well.
 
I have a Kamui tip that someone gave me and I dont plan on using it. It is still in the rapper. If someone wants to paypal me $10 I will ship it to them. PM me if you're interested. Thnaks.

Southpaw
 
i've just recently tried a molavia and so far so good....it's been a wonderful tip and easy to cut as well.
 
Mike Templeton said:
The only non-positive (it's not negative) thing I could say toward Kamui about those videos is...With that kid's stroke, he can move a bowling ball with any tip.

Several people in town have started using Kamui tips, and all have positive things to say about them. I use a sniper now and like it, but next time I need a tip change, I'm gonna try the Kamui and see how I like it.

Mike
Lots of people around here, including myself, love the Kamui. I liked the Moori also but I think the kamui might be holding its shape a little longer and lasting a little longer. I do not do any installation myself. I have heard from someone who is very knowledgeable, that he preferred the Sniper, and was thinking about trying them. That is where the thread started.
 
I personaly Like the Sniper, I prchased a couple from Meuller along with a box of rocket tips (For house cues), and some triangle tips, Mt playing cue had a new rightous tip so I didnt want to cut it off but I did want to try the Sniper, so I installed it on my boy's players cue, I couldnt believe how much better and more acurate that cue was, english was a snap yet it had good feel for the long straight in's.. IMHO just a good all around tip, much better than the Morri Hard, and Morri Med tips I had previously tried.

The only other tip I like that was laminated that wasnt a tiger products tip is the TSUNAMI, good tip but it blew out rather quickly, it lasted a month I believe, the Sniper has been on that Players cue for 8 months. I also like the Dynamite line of tips from tiger products whitch I was using even before the Everest tip came out. The Tiger products Soft, whitch is white, (split calf skin I believe) seem to last forever, never mushroomed and its still on one of my shafts somewhere.. it needs replaced but damn, I cant remember when I installed it...

I also believe tip installation is cridical, the first Laminated tip I installed I tried to sand the sides flush with the ferrule, It took forever, and the end result wasnt to shaby but the tip didnt play well nor did it last..

I have wondered about the Kamui tips, and on the site it does show an alternative way to install them.. The shots on the site doesnt really "sell" the tip for me however, Id like to have seen a close up after all those shots to see if it had mushroomed any..


SPINDOKTOR
 
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